During surgical procedures and post operative recovery periods, it is frequently necessary to drain solids, liquids and gases which may accumulate in a patient's chest cavity. This drainage process substantially reduces the accumulation of liquids and gases in the chest cavities, which can severely impede the medical procedure or prevent the patient from adequately breathing due to the pressure applied to the lungs. This drainage process is most commonly required during recovery from thoracic operations and during surgery as a result of trauma to the chest cavity such as from gun shot wounds or those associated with automobile accidents. The drainage is conducted through one or more catheters and/or a central drainage tube interconnected to the catheters.
During the removal of fluids, solids and other matter from the chest cavity, the catheters commonly become partially or entirely blocked as these materials adhere to the interior wall surface of the catheter and/or central drainage tube. This can create a significant problem during a medical procedure, and is most commonly addressed by the medical staff manually "stripping" or "milking" the catheter to promote the flow of the gas, liquids and solids. This cumbersome procedure is disruptive during a medical procedure (often 1-2 times per hour), takes significant time and may cause extreme discomfort to the patient since the catheter is generally sutured to the patient's surrounding tissue near the catheter access wound. Thus, when the stripping operation is performed, the catheter is often manipulated in a back and forth motion, thus putting tension on the sutures and the patient's interconnected tissue. Finally, the stripping operations may not be entirely effective depending on the nature of the injury or training of the medical staff, thus jeopardizing the patient's well-being and potentially requiring the replacement of the catheter or drainage tube during a medical procedure or during recovery.